Last Modified: January 16, 2023 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond
Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC
This script implements the classic Sternberg Memory Task paradigm to test working memory with strings of digits.
Sternberg, S. (1966). High speed scanning in human memory. Science, 153, 652-654.
script tests set sizes of 2-7 (see list.setSize)
5 minutes
Participants are given a series of digits (2-7 digits long) before being prompted with a digit that was either part of the series (IN) or not (OUT). Participants have to decide whether the probe was IN or OUT by pressing 2 different keys on the keyboard.
1 Testblock with 18 trials: 3 repetitions of setSizes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
• set sizes randomly selected
• 9 trials are randomly selected to be in-trials (the probe digit was part of the list) and
9 trials are selected to be out trials (the probe digit was not part of the list)
see section Editable Instructions
File Name: sternbergmemorytask_summary*.iqdat
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| inquisit.version | Inquisit version number |
| computer.platform | Device platform: win | mac |ios | android |
| startDate | Date the session was run |
| startTime | Time the session was run |
| subjectId | Participant ID |
| groupId | Group number |
| sessionId | Session number |
| elapsedTime | Session duration in ms |
| completed | 0 = Test was not completed 1 = Test was completed |
| propCorrect7 | Proportion correct responses by setSize |
File Name: sternbergmemorytask_raw*.iqdat
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| build | Inquisit version number |
| computer.platform | Device platform: win | mac |ios | android |
| date | Date the session was run |
| time | Time the session was run |
| subject | Participant ID |
| group | Group number |
| session | Session number |
| blockCode | Name of the current block |
| blockNum | Number of the current block |
| trialCode | Name of the current trial |
| trialNum | Number of the current trial |
| response | The participant's response (scancode of response button) 33 = f 36 = j |
| responseCategory | The interpreted key response: "in" vs. "out" |
| correct | The correctness of the response (1 = correct; 0 = incorrect) |
| latency | The response latency (in ms); measured from onset of target digit |
| setSize | The currently tested set size digit1- |
| digit7 | Contain digit1 to digit7 (depends on current set size) |
| target | Stores the currently presented target |
| stimulusItem | The currently presented trial stimulus individual counts per set sizes count2/countCorrect2, count3/countCorrect3, count4/countCorrect4, count5/countCorrect5, count6/countCorrect6, count7/countCorrect7 |
The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.
| Name | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| learningInterval | Interstimulusinterval (in ms), how fast a new letter is presented | |
| probePausee | Pause (in ms) before probe is presented |